JAY — A tough Chipley Tiger team came calling in the District 3-1A volleyball finals trying to do what nobody has done in more than a decade – dethrone 11-time defending district champion Baker.
A hot start by the Tigers coupled with some early jitters by the Gators saw Chipley up 9-2 in the first set.
Chipley’s momentum didn’t last long. After a timeout, the Gators came roaring back to win the first set 25-21. Baker finished off the match taking the second set 25-14 and the third set 25-20 to complete the twelvepeat.
Baker-Chipley District 3-1A volleball photos>>>
Gator coach Tommiko Parks knows how hard it is for a team to repeat as champions, much less win 12 straight titles.
“It’s sweet for the girls,” she said. “The girls take pride in winning, and that includes the winning tradition that we developed at Baker years ago. So we are very proud of the girls and what they’ve accomplished.
If there was a turning point in the match it was that early timeout when the Gators were able to regroup.
“It was us realizing this was real and that we had to fight for this game,” junior libero Lena Daoud said. “They are a phenomenal team and we knew we had to fight and we came out and we did.”
Baker (18-3) did take the fight to the Tigers who suddenly found themselves in a battle with single-minded Gator team.
A pair of Chipley errors allowed Baker to cut the Tiger lead to 9-4. The Gators then seemed to take control of the set when Hartley Moate and Kelsee McGraw teamed up for a block to make the score 9-5.
An Ashley Black block tied the set at 14-14. Baker pushed the lead to 17-14 on an ace by Taylor Brunson.
The Tigers came back and tied the set at 21-21. Baker went in front 22-21 when Chipley was called for a lift. Brittany Brunson the delivered an ace and Baker was able to pull away with the win.
In a match that was tightly officiated on lifts and double hits it was the Gators who better adjusted to the officiating and benefitted with smart play.
The Gators took the lead at 5-4 in the second set and pulled away for the win that put them one set from the coveted district crown.
With Taylor Brunson in serve, Baker jumped to a quick 4-0 lead in the third set. A kill by Moate helped power the early rally.
The Tigers still had some fight left in them. Joyce Smelcer led the way as Chipley pushed back into the set and took the lead at 7-6.
But a one-point lead was all the Tigers would enjoy the rest of the set. Each time Chipley pulled ahead Baker answered. And in the end Baker had more answers than the Tigers as the Gators held on for the win.
Black and Emily Stewart led the Gators with nine kills each.
Taylor Brunson led the team with 17 assists.
Black, a junior middle hitter, was just happy to keep the championship streak alive.
“I was just so excited,” she said. “I was so nervous my hands were shaking.
“I love the fact that we didn’t blow it. We had to be the ones that keep that tradition alive and I don’t want to be on the team that breaks that tradition ever.”
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524.
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: A Dandy Dozen for Gator volleyball team (PHOTOS, VIDEO)